Best 5G router (mobile hotspot)
After testing several 5G routers and mobile hot spots, I recommend the Netgear Nighthawk M7. Pop in a 5G SIM card (it works with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) or sign up for an eSIM (Netgear offers a plan for 140 countries) and you have a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router to use on the go. It has a smart design, a handy 2.4-inch color screen, and a battery that lasts up to 10 hours of use (I got 9 hours before needing to recharge). I combined it with a power bank to last even longer. You can connect up to 32 devices via Wi-Fi and expect a range of up to 2,000 square feet. Many other 5G routers I tested became unstable and hot with multiple devices connected, but the M7 handled it very well.
Previous Netgear hotspots, while excellent, were very expensive, so I’m happy to swap out some ports and a touchscreen to get a more affordable device. It only has one USB-C port, but it’s capable of reaching speeds of 2.5Gbps if you hook it up. Netgear USB-C to Ethernet Adapter ($32) and plug in a device with an Ethernet cable. Although it covers several popular 5G bands, there is no mmWave support, but it also covers a good range of LTE bands. I like that you can set it to switch back to Wi-Fi when it’s available, such as when you return to the hotel at the end of the day.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Version | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bands | 5GHz and 2.4GHz |
| Ports | 1x USB-C port, SIM slot |
| Size | 5.71 x 3.29 x 0.67 inches, 8.5 ounces |
CABLE
- Fast dual-band Wi-Fi 7 performance
- Versatile functionality
- Works with most carriers worldwide
FATIGUE
- Only has a USB-C port
- Requires data plan
Compare the 7 Best Wi-Fi Routers
Other Wi-Fi 7 routers I’ve tested and liked
I have tested many other models and have several more in the pipeline. These aren’t as good as the choices above, but they’re worth considering.
Photography: Simon Hill
TP-Link Archer BE6500 (GE400) for $200: This dual-band Wi-Fi 7 gaming router is very capable. At close range on the 5GHz band, it can compete with most devices on this list. It also offers dedicated gaming features, although some of them require a subscription. I was disappointed by the limited scope and the comparable level TP-Link BE6500 (BE400) is currently on sale for much less. You also don’t need to spend much more to get the far superior tri-band Archer BE9700 (BE600) listed above, giving you the full 6GHz Wi-Fi 7 experience. For gamers who live alone in apartments or small houses, this router could still be a decent purchase.
TP-Link Roam 7 (BE3600) for $130: This dual-band Wi-Fi 7 travel router was my choice, but the Asus RT-BE58 Go above is slightly better for around the same price. It’s still a good portable device, capable of keeping you online in your hotel room or modest apartment. It also supports mobile tethering, VPN, and can serve as a Wi-Fi range extender. There’s USB-C for power delivery that works with portable chargers, and USB-A for file sharing or backing up.
TP-Link Archer BE5000 (BE260) for $110: This dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) is close to our top pick in terms of performance and is a solid alternative. This router offers a slight upgrade over the BE230 (BE3600) below, with improved 5GHz performance, an additional antenna, and increased coverage up to 2,400 square feet. It also sports a 2.5Gbps WAN, a 2.5Gbps LAN, three Gigabit LANs, and a USB 3.0 port. Add in EasyMesh support and a relatively low price, and the BE260 is a tempting option. But if you want enhanced security and parental controls, you have to subscribe, which takes the shine off the value.
AVM FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro
Photography: Simon Hill
AVM FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro for £447: While AVM has dominated the German router market for years and still has around 50% market share, it is now expanding into Europe and the UK. So I tested the FRITZ!Box 5690 Pro. The AVM range is distinguished by its white and red plastic, but the emphasis is on functionality. This tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router has 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN, four gigabit LAN, and a USB 3.1 port. It’s fast, scores average to high in my tests, and it’s proven to be reliable. It also has DSL or fiber optic modems, a built-in DECT base station for cordless phones, onboard storage (NAS), and Zigbee support for connecting smart home devices. You don’t need an account to install or configure it. There is a firewall and guest network option in the simple web interface (you can use the mobile app if you prefer). AVM’s routers are developed and manufactured in Europe, making them an attractive, privacy-focused alternative to Chinese or American routers. The company also has a strong track record of supporting its products for years after launch. People in the UK and Europe looking to upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 should consider this router. Fingers crossed that AVM expands to the US next.
Asus RT-BE86U for $230: New Wi-Fi 7 version of the Asus RT-AX86U, this dual-band router (2.4 and 5 GHz) is similar to the Asus RT-BE88U below. It lacks the 6GHz band but provides all the other improvements that Wi-Fi 7 offers. The RT-BE86U proved reliable in my testing and performed extremely well on the 5GHz band, matching the slightly more expensive RT-BE88U. It’s slightly smaller but still has one 10Gbps Ethernet port and four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports, as well as one USB 2.0 port and one USB 3.0 port.
Netgear Nighthawk RS300
Photography: Simon Hill
Netgear Nighthawk RS300 for $300: This sleek, tri-band Wi-Fi 7 tower router is simple with a fanless design. Setup was a breeze and the streamlined app is designed for convenience. It was our middle choice, but it was edged out by TP-Link’s Archer BE9700. Speed and stability on the 5GHz and 6GHz bands were excellent, although range on the 6GHz band was limited. Performance on the 2.4GHz band was slightly below average, but this will likely only be an issue if you have many older devices. The RS300 has a 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN, two 2.5 Gbps LAN ports, two Gigabit LAN ports, and a USB 3.0 port. The RS300 is one of the best experiences I’ve had with a Netgear router, with fast speeds on the 5 and 6 GHz bands, lightning-fast file transfer times, and no issues during two weeks of testing.
Asus RT-BE92U for $198: After a simple setup and a week of trouble-free fast and stable internet on the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands, I can recommend this router. It features Wi-Fi 7 benefits such as MLO and 320 MHz channels, guest network support, VPN services, free security software, and parental controls. It also has one 10 Gbps WAN/LAN, one 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN, three 2.5 Gbps LANs, and one USB 3.2 port. This tri-band Wi-Fi 7 device came dangerously close to claiming the upper mid-range spot held by the TP-Link Archer BE9700, but was a bit slower on the 5GHz and 6GHz bands and had a considerably shorter range. However, if your home is around 1,500 square feet and you’d rather avoid a subscription, the RT-BE92U is a great alternative. Customer reviews suggest that some people have had issues with this router, but the latest firmware was solid for me.
Asus RT-BE88U for $340: This dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router is a strange prospect because it doesn’t offer the 6GHz band at all, only 2.4GHz and 5GHz. But you can still combine these bands with MLO and take advantage of features like 4K QAM, and this router will be fast enough for the average home. It has numerous ports (two at 10 Gbit/s, four at 2.5 Gbit/s, four Gigabit and one USB 3.0). It outperformed several more expensive routers on the 5GHz band, and it’s probably what most of your devices currently use most of the time. Asus also offers free security software and parental controls with its routers, so no subscription is necessary. But considering that you can buy the Netgear Nighthawk RS300 listed above for less, I have a hard time recommending this router to Americans. If the 6GHz band is unavailable or nerfed in your country, the RT-BE88U is for you.
Photography: Simon Hill
Netgear Nighthawk RS700 for $550: Although I had some configuration issues that required a factory reset, there is no hiding the exceptional performance of this router. This is a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router with two 10Gbps Ethernet ports, four Gigabit ports, and one USB 3.2. The tower design is new to the Nighthawk line and it looks great. This router will fit in much better than our bulky Wi-Fi 7 pick above from Asus, and it was slightly faster on the 6GHz band, but not on the 5GHz or 2.4GHz bands. Mainly missing a recommendation because it is more expensive. We’re already seeing discounts on the RT-BE96U and Asus is offering free security software and parental controls. If you get the Nighthawk RS700S, the “S” at the end indicates a free year of Netgear Armor, which then costs $100 per year. If you need parental controls, that’s an extra $70 per year.
TP-Link Archer BE800 for $500: With a new design that looks more like a desktop computer than a router, the BE800 The tri-band beast came out on top in my testing on the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands, proving incredibly fast for file transfers and downloads. It also has plenty of fast ports, a cool but useless customizable matrix LED display, and the Tether app offers guest network, IoT network, VPN server or client, EasyMesh, QoS for device prioritization and remote management.
Netgear M3 for £450: I was very impressed with this 5G mobile router. Slide a SIM card in and it connects to 4G or 5G networks to provide Wi-Fi to your devices. This is a fast dual-band Wi-Fi 6 model on the 5GHz band. The M3 had no problem handling multiple connected devices (up to 32) and provided a stable internet connection for around 10 hours. You can charge via the USB-C port and there’s a 2.4-inch color LCD screen for setup. It’s a solid hot spot for business or personal travel. Unfortunately, the M3 doesn’t appear to be available in the US, but Brits can save some money and get it at l ie the M7 above (it is frequently reduced).
Firewalla Gold SE for $499: This original portable device is perfect for people who care about security and privacy. It offers comprehensive tools to monitor all traffic entering and exiting your home, robust and detailed parental controls, ad blocking, and enhanced security with a built-in firewall and VPN option. It serves as a router, but you’ll want to pair another router in hotspot mode for your home’s Wi-Fi. It’s expensive and can be intimidating for inexperienced people, but it offers deep insight into your network and an impressive depth of security features without an additional subscription. The Gold SE has two 2.5 Gbps and two Gigabit ports and is suitable for people with connections up to 2 Gigabit. If your internet connection is only 1 gigabit, try more affordable but slightly less efficient Purple Firewall ($409).
Routers I don’t recommend
These are the Internet routers that we have had problems with or cannot recommend for one reason or another.
Photography: Simon Hill
Acer Connect X6E 5G: This is an interesting Wi-Fi 6E model with a 5G SIM card slot that can keep you online using a mobile network if your main broadband connection goes down. It has two Gigabit Ethernet ports, a WAN/LAN, a LAN, and an RJ-11 port for a phone line. It’s easy to set up and offers an NFC connection option, so you can just swipe your phone over it to connect. This unusual mix of features could be beneficial for business travelers. Performance was solid when running and you can get a very fast connection at short distances on both the 6GHz and 5GHz bands. Unfortunately, range was limited and the Connect X6E 5G was intermittently unstable during my testing, randomly dropping devices and shutting down repeatedly.
TP-Li nk Archer BE3600 (BE230): This is the lowest price I’ve seen for a Wi-Fi 7 router. The base design has four antennas, a 2.5 Gbps WAN, a 2.5 Gbps LAN, and three Gigabit LAN ports. It’s dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), so there’s no 6 GHz option, and it’s only 2 x 2 MIMO, so the maximum bandwidth is 688 Mbps and 2,882 Mbps respectively. Unfortunately, I found the range on the 5GHz band to be limited and the band steering disappointing, often dropping my phone on the much slower 2.4GHz band. Throughput was poor and file transfers were mid-table in my results. The BE230 ranked below our top pick in every test. It was incredibly fast at close range on both bands, but dropped off quickly with distance, making it difficult to recommend for large properties. The subscription required for enhanced security and parental controls is also a tough sell on such a cheap router.
Photography: Simon Hill
D-Link AX3000 DBR-330: This lightweight, rectangular travel router from D-Link is aimed at professionals who travel for work. This is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router that can also act as an access point, connecting via USB. There’s even a potentially handy microSD/TF card slot for up to 2TB of storage for file sharing or backing up. Setup via browser is simple and VPN support is built in. It felt nice and fast at close range, but it faded quickly and I couldn’t get a signal two rooms away. It will work well for a hotel room, though. The problem is, you can get our TP-Link travel router pick above or the Asus RT-AX57 Go for a similar price, and I prefer both.
Netgear Nighthawk RS200: The RS200 is Netgear’s dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz) router and the least expensive in its Wi-Fi 7 lineup. After the tri-band RS300 got a recommendation, I expected this router to work fine, but I encountered several issues, including random drops and low range. After turning the router off and on again, many devices, including my Pixel and iPhone, had trouble reconnecting. I may have too many devices in my house, although Netgear suggests it can handle up to 80. It has two 2.5Gbps ports, three Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a USB 3.0 port. Test results were decent, but significantly slower than those of the RT-BE86U.
TP-Link Archer AX5400 Pro: This dual-band Wi-Fi 6 model is almost identical to the Archer AX73, except for the 2.5 Gbps WAN port. It offers relatively fast speeds on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands and has a channel width of 160 MHz on 5 GHz. The range is good, easily covering my house and garden, but performance was inconsistent. Moving files locally was also relatively slow. TP-Link OneMesh, VPN, and QoS are supported, but you only get basic parental controls and network security unless you subscribe.
What features should I look for in a router?
OUR How to buy a router This guide answers many questions about terminology you’ll encounter when purchasing a new router. However, here are some other considerations.
Wi-Fi standards: All my top choices are now using the latest version Wi-Fi 7 protocol. That’s not to say that Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E routers aren’t necessarily worth buying. But with cheaper dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers available, there’s not much reason to buy something older. Only Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 routers offer additional bandwidth and faster speeds on the 6GHz band, but devices like phones and laptops must also support Wi-Fi 6E or 7 for you to benefit from them. The 6 GHz band is also short range compared to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
Internet Speeds: Your maximum Internet speed is set by your ISP and depends on your Internet plan. This will likely fluctuate depending on the time of day. Some ISPs guarantee a minimum download and upload speed. Although your router cannot provide an Internet connection exceeding this speed, it can potentially go faster when you stream from a server at home or move files from one device on your local network to another.
Blanket: It’s worth checking a potential router’s coverage and speed, but be aware that your home Wi-Fi network’s consumption may vary. The building materials in your home, the activity of your neighbors and Wi-Fi networks, your devices and the location of your router are just some of the factors that will impact your wireless performance.
Port : Ethernet ports provide stable connections and are essential for some smart home setups that require a hub for lights or security cameras. Some network attached storage (NAS) for backups or media will plug into your main router via USB. Make sure the model you’re considering has all the ports you need.
What is the difference between a modem and a router?
A modem (modulator-demodulator) connects your home to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the external Internet. A router connects devices in your home to this wireless Internet connection via Wi-Fi or with Ethernet cables. Check out my Router/modem guide to find out more.
Can a single wireless router cover your entire house?
Manufacturers usually suggest a coverage range for a router in square feet, but every home is different and the actual range is likely shorter. Walls and other obstacles will weaken and block wireless signals. The ideal location would be in the center of the house, near the ceiling of the main floor, without any obstructions. A single, well-placed router is usually enough to cover a typical two-story home up to 2,000 square feet. For larger homes, it’s worth considering mesh systems to create a reliable home network.
Where should you place your router?
Physically moving your router can make a real difference in Wi-Fi speeds. It should be central, out in the open, and up high. Walls, closets, and even shelves can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal, as can aquariums, TVs, or microwaves. Even changing the angle or moving the antennas can impact the strength of the Wi-Fi around your home, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different positions.
Can I add routers or extenders to create a mesh?
Many manufacturers allow you to create a mesh network by adding more routers or devices like Wi-Fi extendersbut check what’s supported before purchasing. For example, Asus AiMesh lets you link multiple routers, while TP-Link’s OneMesh only lets you add powerline adapters or range extenders. EasyMesh is a Wi-Fi Alliance standard certification that hopes to enable mixing and matching of devices from different manufacturers to form a mesh, but unfortunately few devices support it so far. You can also purchase single mesh routers, like a Amazon Eurothen add more later if you find you need them. According to my tests, a mesh is always better than an extender.
How Do Ethernet Cables Compare?
Running an Ethernet cable to create a wired connection between your home router and your device will provide a faster and more secure link than Wi-Fi. But run Ethernet cables everywhere can be tricky. Read my Ethernet guide to find out more. Wireless connectivity makes life easier and is often fast enough for most tasks, such as browsing the web or streaming video.
What about the US ban on foreign-made routers?
The Federal Communications Commission has banned new consumer Internet routers manufactured outside the United States over national security concerns. The ban does not affect routers already in American homes or currently for sale in the United States, but all new routers intended for the consumer market must be approved.
The way the ban is described, it will likely apply to every new Wi-Fi router, as there are currently no companies manufacturing routers or the components from which they are assembled in the United States (except perhaps some Starlink Wi-Fi routers). But companies can request exemptions.
All new router models produced overseas will require Conditional approval Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security before the FCC can authorized to be sold in the United States. Read Everything you need to know about the US ban on foreign-made routers to find out more.
What about firmware and security updates?
While the FCC initially issued a waiver covering software and firmware updates through March 1, 2027, it has now extended this waiver “at least until January 1, 2029.”
It’s unclear what will happen after that date, but if the FCC blocked further updates for routers people already own, it would exacerbate the very problem it’s trying to solve. The majority of routers compromised and used in cyberattacks are typically older devices that no longer receive security updates.
Should you buy a router now?
It’s tricky. If you live in the United States and need a router, you should maybe always buy one, but I wouldn’t blame you for waiting to see how a possible router ban plays out. Every major manufacturer I asked that responded or released a statement, including Asus, TP-Link, Netgear and Synology, is confident about getting exemptions, but it’s impossible to say for sure if they will. So far, Netgear onlyAdtran and Eero received conditional approval, although an FCC spokesperson told me, “We hope approvals will be granted in a timely manner.” »
To find the best Wi-Fi routers, I use each one for at least a week (usually longer) in a busy family home of four with lots of video streaming, gaming, and video calls. I also test mobile apps and web interfaces to see how easy it is to change settings, configure parental controls, and access security features. My priority is to learn how well the router performs in real life rather than in the lab, but I also run a set of standardized tests, so I have numbers to compare.
I run speed tests (uploads and downloads). I transfer files over the network to multiple devices (including iPhones, Android phones, Windows PCs, and MacBooks) from different locations in my house. I use NetSpot to study signal strength throughout the home and create heat maps for comparison. I direct the TamoSoft flow test. I turn the power and modem off and on to find out how each system recovers.
How did I select the products to review
I try to test as many routers as possible. It is not possible to test all devices. So while I generally test the flagship versions, I also look at more affordable routers and try to find models that fit the average family home in terms of budget and performance. We’re brand agnostic, so we’ll test routers from any manufacturer, provided we can get our hands on them. But we tend to test more systems from the more popular brands. All routers we test are provided by the manufacturers or their PR companies.
Most are loaned for about a month and then returned. A handful of our recommended picks are kept for longer-term testing. The rest is donated to charities. I recently dropped off a batch at Reuse ITand donated several devices to Oxfam and Shelter.
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